The Instruments Choose Us, Part I

What instrument to play?

Luckily, we don't really bear such portentous decisions. Like wands at Ollivander's, the instruments choose us. And they are always right; I've learned that it's just our job to obey them.

Here is how some of our instruments have come to us.

Part I

The Vibes

I've always wanted to get my hands on a set of vibes, since I played in high school. I adore the sound, and the action of playing them even more. As a percussionist, and a pianist, the vibraphone is a no brainer. I'd occasionally had the pleasure of hearing vibes in my own studio when a vibe player practiced here with his band.

My Dad's old friend, Mr. Shook played vibraphone. When I was a kid and we visited him, Mr. Shook would joke that he'd someday give up on getting any good at vibes and hand them over to me.

I saw Mr. Shook for the first time in decades at my Dad's funeral. I asked him whatever happened to his vibes and he just smiled. A few days after I got back home, I got this email from a friend here in Boston.

Avi, How goes it? Hope you are well.

Anyway, I have this Vibraphone that is available for anyone who wants it. It's a Jenco form the '50's or '60s(i'm not sure).[...] If you know anyone who wants it, it's their's.

It is said that at a funeral, the spirit of the departed is still hovering. I can't help wonder if my Dad was there & had heard me, and then somehow hooked me up.

45 minutes after I saw that email, the vibes were in my car. And since then, I've talked to a few other people who had heard about the same instrument being available & were hot on the trail, but were just an hour or so behind me. I was able to relate to the instrument instantly, and my technique came back quickly, despite the twenty year hiatus.

Papa Dave

Around last Chanukah, my sister in law, Ellen mentioned she had a squeezebox sitting in the attic. She had played it some when she was little, and it had been passed on to her from her Grandfather. It sounded to me like a good match for Jonathan. We got way more than we bargained for, the instrument that showed up in the mail was not only still in fantastic shape, but it had been a fine quality instrument to begin with. It's pretty much the standard - a Hohner 2815, 2 row button accordion (keys of G & C). This instrument also did a shrewd job of picking its player, because Jonathan has already become very comfortable on it. It's become a perfect complement to his contra piano. Something small he can tote anywhere, and play when someone else is on piano. I name instruments in memorium of their original owners, so I suggested that Jonathan call the accordion, "Papa Dave", after Ellen's grandfather, who passed away in 1979. Jonathan wrote a new jig specifically for accordion, and we gave that tune the same name.

Rachel

My bright yellow baby grand piano was a gimme from my dear friends Jason & Missy when they were moving away from Boston. This 1928 Gulbransen 5'6" baby grand had been purchased by Missy's Russian immigrant grandmother Rachel, so the piano has her name (Yiddish pronunciation - short 'a', gutteral 'ch'). I was honored that they wanted me to have the piano, so it would "stay in the family". It's such an integral part of my life now, I can't believe that when they first offered it to me, I waffled for a week.

(click picture to zoom in)

Missy recalls her family painting it yellow when she was a kid.

My Fender Rhodes was sitting in the basement of another sound engineer, taking up space. I took it off his hands. It sounds beautiful, but is currently in need of repair

To Be Continued...